Game Week 4 and FAU actually has a chance of winning for the first time this season.

But Owls fans might want to strap in the seat belt, because in the Belt, comfortable wins are very rare for FAU.

Let’s just look at last year’s game against the Cajuns.

FAU won 24-23, but only because ULL passed on the chance for a tie and instead went for a 2-point conversion after scoring with 1:13 left in the game. The pass on the conversion was incomplete, and FAU recovered the onside kick and had the win.

It was the high mark of the season for FAU, as it was the third straight win and got their record to 4-5.

The Owls would lose their final three games badly – 51-17 to Texas, 38-14 to MTSU and 44-7 to Troy.

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Tavious Polo returns a punt in last year's game against the Cajuns
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GOING ‘FIU’

Maybe there is something in the air or water down there on the FIU campus that makes people lose touch with reality.

Last year when FIU went 6-6 to finish at .500 for the first time in the program’s history and shared the Sun Belt title, the FIU prez went off the deep end, saying the Kitties had become a “national football power.”

Then they Kitties brass got all huffy when they were sent to Detroit for a bowl instead of getting to New Orleans, since that was no way to treat a national power.

Saturday Louisiana-Lafayette came to Miami and walked away with an upset win over the Kitties.

That prompted new Cajun’s coach Mark Hudspeth to go all ‘FIU.’

Yes, it was ULL’s third straight win, but the wins were over Kent State, I-AA Nicholls State, and FIU. Kudos for the win over FIU, but the other two are not much to brag about.

That did not stop Hudspeth from declaring: “The word is already spreading around the country that we have something special happening at Cajun Field and the University of Louisiana.”

Get a grip, coach. I don’t think the college football world is buzzing about ULL.

Hudspeth then challenged the Cajun Nation: “I need all the Cajuns fans to bring 10 people with them. I want this week sold out, can’t find a seat…We are fixing to come home 3-1, we need that place absolutely electric and loud.”

Let’s see, 117 times 10 is 1,170…

(Yes, that is a cheap shot)

ATTENDANCE WATCH

North Texas had 21,181 show up for its second game at its new stadium, which seats about 31,000. They had about 28,000 for the grand opening.

NT played Houston in the opener (and lost), then hosted Indiana on Saturday, and won 24-21.

That was a huge win, for NT and the Belt. I am assuming Indiana is going to finish at the bottom of the Big Ten, but it does show what happens when you can get a home game. This one reminds me of when FAU beat Minnesota.

NT’s next home game is when FAU plays there on Oct. 8. Will be interesting to see how many show up for that. NT will probably come into that game 1-4 (they are at Tulsa Saturday), and FAU will either be 1-3 or 0-4, depending what happens Saturday in Lafayette.

Comments

Jack is correct, at least the part about ULL attendance at its home opener. I must have gotten the Cajuns mixed up with the other Louisiana school, or FIU, or both.
I just don't recall big crowds on my three previous visits to Cajun Field. Maybe there will be one there Saturday. If so, good for the Southwest Louisiana.
Jack could have added that the Cajuns really support their baseball and softball teams.
And the football fans have been patient -- ULL has not been able to get over the hump -- in 10 years in the Belt they are 33-38. FAU is 24-20 in six years.
ULL was 3-8 in 2001, 3-9 in 2002, 4-8 in 2003, 4-7 in 2004, 6-5 in 2005, 6-6 in 2006, 3-9 in 2007, 6-6 in 2008, 6-6 in 2009 and 3-9 last season.
/ ted

If you're wanting to take a cheap shot at UL, the LEAST you can do is get your facts straight, particularly since that's your JOB!! There was just shy of 29,000 at CAJUN FIELD 2 weeks ago when we played 1-AA Nicholls State (CAJUN FIELD'S capacity is 31,000), and I can guarantee there will be more there this week after that HUGE win at FIU!!! If you know how to read at all (MY cheap shot!), then you would see that UL has been a consistent attendance leader in the Sun Belt Conference for the last several years.

Fau, ya ll have never visited Cajun field when its packed 30,000 plus. The Ragin Cajuns are charged up and their rabid fans await. trust me, I was RAISED there and my family tells me that community support is better in Lafayette than it is for that school in Baton Rouge. The editor of this news paper needs to repent after the beating ya ll will receive Saturday

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About the author

DIETER KURTENBACH a Chicago native and 2010 Missouri School of Journalism graduate, has covered Missouri Tigers athletics for KCOU radio and the Columbia Missourian, Major League Soccer for Comcast SportsNet-Chicago, and lunch orders for ESPN Radio-Chicago. Kurtenbach was part of the Missourian team that earned first place in "Breaking News" at the 2010 Associated Press Sports Editors awards, but his real passion is his constant quest to find the world’s best sandwich – if you have a tip, don’t hesitate to send it his way.